The Counselor Conundrum
by lankyphysicist
Summary: 'Imagine your OTP as counselors at a summer camp who sneak off when all the kids are asleep to go make out.' / One-shot Shamy teenager AU
1. Chapter 1

Mary Cooper rolled down the driver's side window of her rusty 1964 Buick and peered around for any sort of sign. Her sixteen year old son sat beside her, periodically rolling his eyes and crossing his skinny arms over his chest. She knew that he was disappointed, but it would be nice if he could at least try to fake it. She turned onto another dirt path and finally found the parking lot she'd been looking for. As she put the car in park, she caught her son subtly rubbing his hands under his eyes and wiping them on his jeans. Despite her son's sadness, she was secretly glad he was showing any emotion other than resentment and contempt.

"Oh, Shelly," she comforted, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Who's to say that this won't be a good experience for you?"

He shook off her hand and raised his misty blue eyes to meet hers. "Mother, there is no logical reason for me to become a summer camp counselor at this point in time. I'd like to go home now."

Mary sighed and looked down at her lap. "Sweetie, teaching some little kids about science is not gonna kill ya," she said in her Texan drawl. "Besides, all you do is sit around the house and read all day."

"Sit around and read?" Sheldon exclaimed, practically jumping out of his seat. "Mother, I was earning my PhD!"

"Yeah, well, now you have your PhD," she countered bitterly, exhausted from the long drive.

"And I should be putting it to good use!" cried Sheldon. "I should be accepting a position at a university and beginning my research!"

"You're too young, baby. I want you to try to have fun," she encouraged, rubbing her hand on his knee.

Sheldon inhaled a shaky breath in lieu of a response.

Mary recognized the emotion right away and racked her brain for anything that would soothe his anxiety. "Shelly, picture it like this. You are the smartest person at this entire summer camp. Everybody here, camper and counselor alike, will be subjected to your genius. They need a leader like you, Shelly."

Sheldon looked out the window and peered around for the first time since arriving. "I suppose you're right," he whispered, not fully convinced.

Mary smiled softly at her child. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

Sheldon found it in him to smile for the sake of his worried mother, but only for a brief moment. "No, mom, I'm sure I can manage."

Mary couldn't help but feel sad. She'd never spent a single day away from her son, not one. Even when he locked himself up in his bedroom and refused to come out, he'd always let her in. She broke down in tears as all of the memories with her baby boy suddenly came to mind. Did she really want him to go? Oh, of course she did, he needed to do something normal. Oh, but she'd miss him so.

"It's alright, mama," Sheldon said with the southern twang he so desperately tried to ween himself off of.

Mary wrapped her arms around him and he eventually returned her embrace, uncomfortably patting her on the back.

"I love you, Shelly," she said as she pulled away and wiped her tears.

"I love you, too," he replied quietly and grabbed his bag from the back seat.

Mary watched as her son exited the car and gently closed the door. She would miss his gentleness most of all. Lord knows she wouldn't be getting any gently closed doors from her other children. "Promise you'll write me at least once a week."

"I will," he assured her through the open window. "Drive safely."

"Okay," she sighed and put the car in drive. "Goodbye, Shelly," she said before turning into the winding dirt roads she'd just conquered.

Sheldon looked up at the blazing Dallas sun and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "Mom was right," he muttered to himself. "Hell is real."

He rolled up the sleeves of his long-sleeved undershirt and headed towards a cabin with a sign that read 'information'. An elderly woman sat at the front desk, but she was too enthralled by her knitting needles to notice him enter.

"Excuse me?" Sheldon called to her, taking note of the hearing aid in her left ear.

The woman dropped the needles in surprise and clutched a hand to her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear! I didn't see you there."

"I know you didn't," he replied coolly. "Otherwise you would have greeted me immediately," he explained, jutting out his neck in confusion. Was it customary to state the obvious all around the world?

The woman rolled her eyes. "Can I help you with something, young man?"

Sheldon straightened his back professionally. "Why, yes! Yes, you can," he answered. "I'm here because I was recruited to be a counselor at a science camp for diaper babies. Can you please point me in the right direction?"

She smiled despite his attitude. It was in her job description. "Of course I can," she said. She paused and dug out of map from behind her desk before handing it her visitor. "This is where we are," she said, pointing to the map. "Science camp counselors are having an orientation over here," she continued, pointing to another area on the map.

"Thank you!" Sheldon exclaimed, grateful to have found someone who knew what they were doing.

As he exited the building, he started to think to himself that maybe this wouldn't be so bad. That train of thought came to an abrupt halt when he arrived at where he was supposed to be. There was a whole circle of people already assembled. He began to panic. Was he late? Sheldon Cooper was never late. His Meemaw had always told him that if you're early, you're on time, and if you're on time, you're late. He'd never disappointed his Meemaw and he wasn't about to start now. He was tempted to just run away, but before he could execute his plan, he felt a rough hand clutch his elbow.

"Hello there!" the hoary man said. "You must be Sheldon Cooper! Mary told me about you on the phone."

Sheldon stiffened. Everything about this man was dirty. His white hair, his wire-rimmed glasses, his white t-shirt covering his beer belly. It made Sheldon shiver. "Did she also tell you about my aversion to the unsanitized touch?"

The man immediately let go of the young boy and awkwardly returned his hand to his side. "Well, why don't you come join the group? We're just getting acquainted before the campers show up."

Sheldon resisted his biting comments and responded in what he considered a polite tone. "I'm sure that would be alright."

He let the man lead him towards the conglomeration of people. He felt like he was going to pass out. What if all of these people were already acquainted with each other and he was just the outsider coming in late? His heart began to race like a horse. Why in the world would his mother think this was a good place to send him?

"Alright, group," the man by his side boomed. "This is Sheldon. He's another one of our counselors-in-training," the man introduced.

Sheldon internally screamed. Counselor-in-training? What in the world kind of title was counselor-in-training? If anything, he should be _above_ a title! He was an overlord. He bit his tongue and managed to take it with a grim smile. He was doing this for his mother, whom he loved. He could do it. He could do it. He could do it.

"Sheldon, why don't you have a seat over on that log next to that young lady?" the man continued, pointing to the stump.

 _Because it's not a chair_ , Sheldon thought to himself. He bit his tongue for the tenth time that minute and made his way to the spot.

"Hi," the girl greeted, extending her hand to him. "My name is Amy Farrah Fowler," she said with a smile.

Sheldon wanted to reach for the hand sanitizer in his bag, but he fought his urges once more and hesitantly shook the potentially germ-ridden hand.

When he didn't respond after a minute, she asked, "What's your name?"

Sheldon inhaled deeply. He was not here for idle chitchat. He was here to rule. "My name is Sheldon Lee Cooper," he squeaked. _Darn this voice change._

Amy smiled, knowing that he at least had the ability to talk. "Nice to meet you," she responded.

"Please don't feel like you have to make small talk," Sheldon said quickly, staring at the ground.

Amy scrunched up her nose. "I wasn't really making small talk... I just asked what your name was."

"Yes, but I've been alive for 16 years and I know what comes after an exchanging of names." Sheldon took a deep breath. "I'm sure that the next thing you were going to say was something like 'So where are you from?' and you would expect me to ask you in return where you're from. And I'm sorry to inform you that I simply do not care," he said, raising his eyes to meet hers.

Amy crossed her arms over her chest and gasped in disgust. "What makes you think I'd want to know _anything_ about you?" she spat.

"Well, for starters, I'm very interesting," Sheldon replied with a hint of a smile as he thought about all of his accomplishments. "I'm a very intelligent and all-around delightful individual."

Amy scoffed. "You think you're smart?"

"I know I'm smart," he said condescendingly. "I'm the smartest one here, in fact."

"Oh yeah?" Amy challenged. "Well I'm the same age as you and I'm attending Harvard in the fall to do my baccalaureate work in neurobiology," she said with a smug smile.

Amy thought that this would shut him up, but his smile only grew.

"That's impressive, Amy Farrah Fowler," Sheldon said. "Almost as impressive as the PhD in theoretical physics I just earned from the California Institute of Technology."

Amy's throat went dry and it took everything in her not to drop her jaw to the dirt ground. Who _was_ this kid? "Um… That's, um. Uh… Wow," she stammered, hoping he wouldn't see the embarrassed blush creeping up to her cheeks.

Sheldon was no expert at facial cues, but he was accustomed to this particular case. People would assume he was just a snotty little kid, he would tell them about his PhD, and they would become all of a sudden very quiet and ashamed. He _loved_ it. But not this time. This time he felt the urge to act as a southern gentleman to Amy Farrah Fowler. That's what his mom would want him to do.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "You know… Amy," he began and she lifted her eyes from the ground. "I wasn't lying. Attending an ivy league at the age of sixteen truly _is_ impressive," he stated. "In fact," he continued as a realization dawned upon him, "You're the closest thing to an academic equal that I've ever met."

"Well, that's very kind of you to say... Dr. Cooper," Amy said with a much less outgoing tone than before.

Sheldon smiled. He liked this girl. She called him Dr. Cooper. The only one who called him that was his Meemaw. "Perhaps I'll be calling you Dr. Fowler in the future?"

Amy let a small breathy laugh escape our lips. "I suppose that's the plan. PhD by 23," she rhymed, looking at her hands.

"Well, that's a humorous little mantra," Sheldon commented.

"A lot less of a punch than 'PhD by 16'," she said, grinding her white sneaker in the dirt.

"Well, yes," Sheldon conceded. "But impressive nonetheless."

Amy looked at him and smiled, but didn't respond.

"So are you from around here?" Sheldon asked after a moment of silence.

"I thought you didn't want any small talk," Amy retorted with a smirk.

"Well, that was before I knew you had the slightest bit of intelligence," he replied quickly. "I was just curious as to whether you were from around Harvard or if you were from around here."

Amy peered into his aegean eyes. "I'm from California. Orange County."

Sheldon squinted his eyes in confusion.

Amy took note of his expression and continued her story. "My mother is insistent that I won't be able to handle the stresses of moving across the country for school, so she decided that this would be a way to test my abilities."

"Oh," Sheldon said in drawn-out realization. "I empathize with your want to travel. Last year I was offered the opportunity to serve as a visiting professor in Germany. I snatched it up in a heartbeat."

Amy's eyes widened. "That sounds amazing!"

"It was," Sheldon said, nodding his head excitedly. "I'd love to tell you more about my trip in detail."

"I'd be happy to listen," she replied.

Sheldon was elated to have found a kindred spirit. Amy Farrah Fowler was intelligent, kind, and interested in what he had to say. He very rarely found anybody who held all three of these characteristics, let alone someone who was even close to his age group. Oh, his mother would be so proud. He'd have to write her about Amy Farrah Fowler as soon as he had the chance.

"Okay, counselors and counselors-in-training! Let's get started," the man who had grabbed Sheldon's elbow earlier yelled through a megaphone.

Sheldon jumped a little on his stump. Was the megaphone really necessary?

"First of all, my name is Glenn and welcome to the Little Beakers science camp 1996!" he roared, which was met by a round of cheers from everyone in the circle. Well, everyone except for Sheldon, who was beginning to feel more and more out-of-place as he became aware of his surroundings.

"We're a little behind schedule with our counselors arriving, so we're gonna have to skip over introductions and go right to our cabin assignments," Glenn said and picked up a clipboard from the ground.

"Oh, thank you, Jesus," Sheldon whispered to himself, earning a giggle and a shoulder nudge from Amy Farrah Fowler.

Sheldon was unfamiliar with what exactly a giggle and a shoulder nudge entailed, and he wasn't exactly sure what he did to merit them, but he kept to himself.

As Glenn muttered off assignments, the group of counselors became significantly smaller. Sheldon began to panic again. Was he even on the list? What if they didn't give him a cabin? They had to give him a cabin, right? Would they make him sleep on the ground? Was he the designated throw-up cleaner?

"This is kind of nerve-wracking," Amy whispered to him, pulling him from her anxious thoughts.

"I suppose," Sheldon replied, pretending like he wasn't scared out of his mind.

He wasn't all that surprised that Amy was the one to voice his fears. She was a kindred spirit, indeed.

"Amy Fowler and Sheldon Cooper!" Glenn boomed.

The two teens scrambled to their feet and ambled towards him with their bags slung over their shoulders.

"You two will be in charge of seven- and eight-year-olds. Girls are in Cabin 71 and boys in Cabin 72," he said, marking something down on his sheet.

Before Sheldon could ask him his slew of questions, he had already moved on to the next pair of counselors.

"Come on," Amy said, heading in the direction of their cabins.

Sheldon tripped over his large feet as he followed her, a bead of sweat already dripping down his face. "This is ridiculous. He didn't even explain to us the specific amenities of each cabin!"

Amy looked over her shoulder at him and continued walking. "You like to complain a lot, don't you?"

Sheldon sighed as he caught up to her. "Amy, if I don't complain, no one will."

"Maybe that's a good thing," she replied, quickening her step.

"No it's not!" Sheldon said, matching her pace. "If no one complains, nothing gets fixed."

"Sheldon, relax, nothing needs to be fixed. We'll determine the cabin amenities when we get there," Amy said, rolling her eyes.

"Ugh," Sheldon groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You sound just like my mother."

"Your mother must be a very patient woman," Amy said as she watched Sheldon struggle to carry his bag.

"She is," he replied simply.

Amy shook her head and smiled to herself. "That doctoral education didn't come with very many social skills, did it, Sheldon?"

Sheldon stopped walking and peered at her until she came to a stop as well. "I'm sorry, I'm not following."

Amy smirked and grabbed onto his arm. "Come on, let's go."

As the two resumed their path, Sheldon looked down at her hand. "Why are you holding my arm?"

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, removing her hand. "You're one of those germaphobes, aren't you?"

"That's a preposterous question," Sheldon sneered. "I think that people should spend less time trying to cure me of my aversion to germs and start to think about why they're _not_ averted to germs."

"Because we'd all go crazy," Amy replied.

"Defend."

"Sheldon, don't you ever get exhausted from worrying about what might happen to you because of germs?" she asked, steeling herself for a lively debate.

"No, I don't, because it's human nature for one to protect themselves from things that are trying to kill them," Sheldon rebutted.

"You shook hands with me just a few minutes ago!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, and I've been thinking about it ever since!" he replied at an equal volume.

After a minute of quiet, Amy began to laugh.

"I'm sorry, is something humorous?" Sheldon asked.

"It's nothing, it's just… How are you ever gonna kiss someone?" she asked.

Sheldon would be lying if he said he'd never considered this. George Jr. and Missy bothered him about it all the time. And so he gave her the same answer he gave his siblings: "It's simple. I'm not going to."

"Oh, I don't believe that for a second," Amy replied with a snort.

"What exactly is hard to believe here?" Sheldon asked sincerely.

Amy slowed down her speed as they approached the cabins. "You're the one with the PhD, are you really gonna make me spell it out for you?"

Sheldon looked down at his feet as he walked, uncomfortable with the idea of Amy knowing something about him that he didn't.

Amy sighed. "Sheldon, you're smart and tall and handsome, some girl is gonna fall head over heels for you and you're gonna kiss her eventually."

"You know, Amy Farrah Fowler, I resent the fact that you see me as someone who has to succumb to his baser urges. I don't," he said finally as they stood between the two cabins.

Amy smirked at him. "You're not even the slightest bit curious as to what it's like?"

"No," he replied immediately. "I know everything there is to know about kissing. It requires 34 facial muscles and 112 postural muscles."

"Yeah, well, I'm a neurobiologist in the works," she retorted, crossing her arms. "And since you're so smart, I figured you would know that our lips are packed with sensitive nerve endings that respond to even the slightest brushing, which makes kissing feel very good. Also, during a kiss, cortisol levels drop, which reduces feelings of uneasiness. And lastly - and you might want to pay close attention to this - you're more likely to get sick from hand-shaking than lip-locking."

With that, Amy turned on her heel and headed into her cabin, leaving Sheldon dazed and confused. If there was one thing Sheldon hated more than germs, it was not having the last word. He quickly stepped into his own cabin, set his bag on the nearest bed, and walked out the door. He walked next door to Cabin 71 and entered without knocking.

"You know, Amy- "

"I figured you'd be back," Amy interrupted as she pulled a sheet over her mattress.

"Yes, well, anyway. The point of my argument was not that kissing spreads more germs than handshaking. That was something _you_ implied," he said, glad to have gotten the last word in.

"Then what exactly was your argument?" Amy asked as she fluffed her pillows.

"My argument was that I am above succumbing to baser urges. I don't need pressure on my lip nerves to decrease my cortisol levels. I am the master of my own body," he said, handing her a blanket from her bag.

"Thank you," she said as she took the blanket from her bag. "And no, you're not."

"And to _think_ that you were even close to being an academic equal! You brain monkeys are all the same," he accused, shaking his head.

Amy stopped her motions of making the bed and turned to him. "You don't mean that."

Sheldon softened when he saw the hurt in her green eyes. "I suppose you're right. I haven't had this kind of intellectual conversation since I graduated."

The corners of Amy's lips twitched up, but settled in to a neutral expression as she sat down gently on her bottom bunk. "It's just… I'm a scientist. And the way our bodies react to certain stimuli is something that fascinates me a great deal. And as much as I can hypothesize about the way kissing would feel, I can't seem to find someone who would be willing to execute an experiment with me."

The wheels in Sheldon's mind began to turn as he sat down next to Amy. "You know, Amy… I'd be willing to experiment with you," he said, surprising himself just as much as he surprised her. "For science!" he added quickly.

"You're serious?" she asked, suddenly nervous.

"Well," Sheldon began, attempting to collect his thoughts, "I, admittedly, also have my own hypotheses on the matter. And I just figure that if you're also open to experimentation, you'd be the best match for me, given your intellect and attractiveness."

Amy straightened her back. "You think I'm attractive?"

"Well, yes," Sheldon said as if it were obvious. "Your face is symmetrical, although it may just be an illusion given by the manufactured symmetry of your glasses. You're very tiny, which society deems attractive. But most importantly, I believe my attraction to you is partly based on the fact that you called me handsome."

"You make many logical points," Amy said, grasping at the blanket beneath them.

"I always do," Sheldon replied with a smile.

Amy smiled back at him. "All right. Tonight. That way we'll both have clean teeth and fresh breath. We'll do it between our cabins. Just come out when you get all your campers asleep."

"I agree to those terms," Sheldon said.

Before either party had time to let their panic set in, Glenn's voice echoed throughout the campground. "All right, counselors, come collect your campers at the meeting spot! Little Beakers 1996 has officially begun!"

The walk back to the meeting spot was made lighter by the lack of luggage, but heavier by the fact that neither Sheldon nor Amy had a single thing to say to one another.

Amy was the one who dared to break the silence. "Do you think that what we're doing is weird?"

Sheldon shrugged his shoulders. "I don't. Do you?"

"A little."

"Defend."

"Isn't your first kiss supposed to be romantic?" she said, peering up at him.

"I don't think that there's any set definition for romance," Sheldon said after a moment of deep thought. "If we both believe that it's romantic, that's all that matters."

"I guess," Amy said, once again not being able to fault his logic.

"Is there any way that I could make it more conventionally romantic for you?" he asked, stealing a glance at her lips.

"Well…" she pondered, rubbing her palms on her jean skirt. "I suppose there's already something romantic about sneaking out to have your first kiss beneath the stars."

"Alright, seven- and eight-year-olds, here come your counselors! Boys, you go with Sheldon! Girls with Amy! Sheldon and Amy, can you raise your hands for us?" Glenn yelled through the megaphone.

The two teens raised their hands as told and were soon flocked with excited little fourth graders by their sides.

Sheldon was paralyzed with fear, so Amy gave the first direction. "Alright, are you guys ready to claim your bunks?"

She was met with a chorus of cheers and tiny fist pumping.

"Okay, well just follow me and Sheldon and we'll get ya there!" she yelled excitedly for the campers' sake and started on her second trek back to the cabins.

Sheldon almost made it back to the cabins without having to talk to any mouth-breathers until one suddenly tugged on his pant leg. "You're really tall," the little boy said with wonder.

"You're short," Sheldon replied without looking down.

"You're a lot taller than her," the boy continued, pointing to Amy.

"She's short, too," Sheldon said, trying not to engage.

"I'll have you know I stand at exactly 64 inches, which is the average height for a 16-year-old female," Amy interjected, elbowing him in the ribs. "You're the one who's of abnormal height."

"Well, that's no surprise," Sheldon replied. "I'm of higher intelligence than average, there's no reason for me not to be of higher stature."

"Are we almost there?" a girl asked as she weaved her way to the front.

"Yup!" Amy confirmed. "We're right here," she said, coming to a stop.

"Okay!" Sheldon yelled, finally grabbing hold of his natural alpha personality. "Boys are in 71, girls in 72! Whichever group sets up their beds first gets a grand prize of going to dinner first," he said as twenty pairs of eyes looked up at him. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go."

Ten minutes later, the girls were established as the winners and they made their way to the dining hall, followed shortly by the boys. The children's camp mess hall was something other-worldly, or at least it felt that way to Sheldon. As soon as the overwhelming scent of artificial chicken filled his nostrils and his shoes peeled off the sticky linoleum, he felt like he could quite possibly pass out.

"Hey, are you alright?" Amy asked him, placing a hand on his back.

"I will be once you take your hand off my back," he said, snapping back to his senses.

Amy removed her hand and sneered at him. "Really? You're gonna put your lips on mine, but I can't even touch you?"

Sheldon looked down at her and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you."

"It's fine," she said, placing her hands in her pockets. "Are you okay, though?"

"No…" he said quietly. "This place is disgusting. I knew it wasn't a good idea for me to come here. I need to go home."

"Oh, Sheldon, it's all right. Just come sit down with me," she said, grabbing his wrist and leading him towards a table labeled 'Little Beakers'. "Concentrate on your breathing," she said as they sat at the only two available chairs next to eight miniature scientists.

"That's ridiculous, breathing is an involuntary action, I have no need to focus on it," he said.

"Well, focus on something else, then," Amy replied. "Something that makes you feel like you're at home."

"Nothing about this place is like my home except for the yelling and the abundance of lesser minds," he whispered as the children picked at their breaded chicken patties.

"Well, that's something!" Amy encouraged, reaching to rub his arm, but quickly deciding against it. "Did you want to eat something?"

"Absolutely not," he answered firmly.

"Me neither," Amy agreed, looking at the meal of the little girl next to her. Apart from the chicken, she couldn't even tell what anything else was.

Sheldon spent the duration of his meal time telling Amy all about his semester as a visiting professor in Germany and the topic of his doctoral dissertation. She listened intently, but mostly watched his lips move. She found herself wondering why she had brought up the kissing thing to begin with. It probably wasn't too late to back out of it. Sheldon clearly wasn't the biggest fan of touching, so she was sure he wouldn't be opposed to her calling off the rendezvous.

Instead, she just let all of her worry bubble up inside her. And she continued to let it bubble while the campers played introduction games around a campfire. And it bubbled some more while she was patrolling the showers and making sure teeth were brushed. And then some more when all the seven- and eight-year-old girls went to bed without a fight (she was kind of hoping they would give her an excuse to avoid _the experiment_ for a little while longer by refusing to sleep, but no such luck). And her bubbling beaker of nerves was just about to overflow as she snuck out of her cabin and saw Sheldon waiting for her by the glow of a flashlight.

"Hello, Amy Farrah Fowler," he greeted as she made her way towards him.

"Hi," she squeaked as she stood before him. That little boy was right - Sheldon really was tall. How was this even supposed to work? Was she supposed to be on her tiptoes? Was he leaning down? Wouldn't that put strain on his neck?

"Now, if I'm not mistaken, your hypothesis is that kissing will feel good. I am under the impression that I will feel nervous and awkward," he spoke with professionalism, as if he were already writing a research paper.

"You're nervous, too?" she asked, catching his eyes.

He stared down at her and took a step closer. "Terrified."

"Should we do this?" she asked doubtfully, but took a step closer anyway.

Another step. "We've made it this far."

They were now standing almost chest-to-chest, and Amy could feel his warm breath on her face. "What do we do now?" she asked.

Sheldon put his hands on her hips and pulled her close. "Is this okay?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah," she answered. She snaked her arms around his neck. "Is this okay?"

Sheldon nodded. "Yes."

"Are we really going to do this?" Amy asked when neither of them made a move.

"I think it would be best if we stop talking first," Sheldon replied, logical as always.

"You're right," she said. "I'm just worried that if my hypothesis is correct, this will be my last chance to experience a kiss for a long time, maybe forever and-"

Sheldon leaned down and pressed his lips to Amy's, moving his hands up to her waist and pulling her flush against him. She melted into him and tightened her arms around his neck. Sheldon smiled against her lips as she relaxed for the first time since seeing him. They stayed in this position for ten seconds - shockingly still. Amy was the one to pull away after realizing that Sheldon wasn't going to anytime soon.

"So," Amy began, "Was your hypothesis proven?"

Sheldon circled his arms around her waist. "I can't answer that without collecting additional data," he said before pressing his lips against hers again.

This time was less still, with Sheldon parting his lips. He was somewhat hoping that Amy would do the same, but he wasn't all quite sure what exactly came after the parting of lips. Was there tongue involved? He wasn't sure if he could handle that. Then again, he didn't think he could ever handle what he was doing now, but here he was. He felt Amy's lips part with his after a few seconds, but he pulled away before it went any further.

He blushed upon seeing her blush. "Um…" he stuttered, racking his brain for something to say. Anything. "Did you know… that when you kiss someone for the first time, you get a peak in the neurotransmitter dopamine, making you crave more?"

"I did know that," she mumbled as she pulled his lips down to meet hers again.

Sheldon sighed into Amy's mouth when she ran her tongue along his bottom lip. She unwrapped one of her hands from his neck and placed it in his hair, gently tugging at the locks.

"That hurts," he mumbled against her lips.

"Sorry," she said before deciding to just rest her hand on the back of his head.

Sheldon was surprised by the way another person's tongue felt. It was only for a split second before the feeling vanished, but his eidetic memory wouldn't let him forget that. It was somewhat wet like he expected, but… not wet in a _bad_ way. Or maybe it was a bad way and he was just too blind to see it.

Amy pulled her face away, and she couldn't help but notice that Sheldon had kept his eyes closed. "Thank you for experimenting with me."

His eyes fluttered open and he ran his right hand up and down her waist. "It's what any good scientist would do."

"Did you, um… Reach a conclusion?" she asked shyly, as fearful as when she started.

"I have," he said.

Amy looked up at him incredulously. "And?"

"I found the experience to be both extremely nerve-wracking… and immensely enjoyable," he said truthfully.

She smiled. "I agree."

"Good," he said with a nod.

"You know…" Amy said as she stood on her tiptoes. "The scientific method calls for the experiment to be conducted multiple times."

Sheldon pressed his lips to hers with no further questions. Before he even had the chance to deepen the kiss, he heard the distinct sound of a child's snicker. He pulled away and turned his head to see a little blonde boy peeking out the window. He ducked below the frame when he saw Sheldon turn, but not quick enough. Amy sighed and Sheldon unwrapped his arms from her waist.

"We'll finish this experiment later," he whispered.

"Alright," Amy said and planted one last kiss on his cheek.

Sheldon made a disgusted noise and wiped at his cheek with his hand.

Amy put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

He smiled and picked up his flashlight from the ground. "I'm just kidding."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I got a lot of asks/reviews telling me to further this story, and so I did. I may continue it, but I'm going to round off each chapter in a way that seems complete. So for all intents and purposes, you can consider this story done without worrying about what might happen next. Everything is fluff, and that's the way I like it.**

* * *

"Maggie, you were only allowed to have one glass of soda," Amy scolded as a young girl returned to their designated lunch table.

The girl sat down and took a sip from her drink. "This is my first glass!"

Amy rolled her eyes. "Maggie, I'm not dumb."

"Did someone call you dumb?" Sheldon asked as he took his seat next to Amy.

"Maggie seems to think I am," Amy replied.

Sheldon snorted. "Maggie, I watched you glue your hand to your face this morning when we were creating DNA models out of felt. Amy is not the dumb one."

Amy kicked his leg under the table. Sheldon let out a yelp of pain and bent down to clutch his calf. When Sheldon's head was level with her own, she leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, "She's _seven_ years old."

Sheldon looked up at her in confusion. "I'm sorry, what does age have to do with anything?" he asked sincerely.

Amy sighed and glanced over at Maggie, who had seemingly forgotten about the whole ordeal. She turned her attention back to Sheldon. "You can't be mean to the campers."

"I'm sorry," he said, jutting out his bottom lip.

Amy turned her head away from him so he couldn't see her resolve melting. He reached for her hand under the table and she quickly pulled it away. She was secretly glad he had made the attempt at physical contact. It was the first time he had actually acknowledged what happened the night before. Amy smiled blissfully as she remembered what it felt to have his lips on hers, his hands clutching her waist. She could barely get any sleep afterwards, leaving her to smile into her pillow like a fool. She had to keep reminding herself that it was just an experiment. _"We'll finish this experiment later,_ _"_ he had whispered. When was later?

Sheldon was a little hurt that Amy pulled her hand away so quickly, but he did catch her smiling to herself. A smile of his own came about soon after as he thought back to last night. She was so warm pressed up against him, and they had both wanted to keep going. And then they were interrupted. Stealing a second glass of soda was one thing, but interrupting the third happiest moment of his life was another. _"We'll finish this experiment later,"_ he had told her. Later had to be as soon as possible.

"Tonight?" he whispered casually, trying not to catch the attention of any campers.

Amy nodded her head without looking up at him. She knew as well as he did that they had to be careful about being caught. It was too dangerous. They could be kicked out if anybody discovered them. Her mother would never let her go to school all the way across the country if she couldn't even hold her own at a month-long summer camp. She reached for the glass of water next to her and swallowed it in deep gulps. She needed to calm down before she had a panic attack in front of everybody.

"That's my water," Sheldon said, picking at the salad in front of him.

"Oh, sorry," she said, setting down the glass.

Sheldon didn't reply with words, but rather picked up the water and finished it off. Amy smiled at him and bumped her knee against his under the table.

"Ewwww!" a curly-headed boy yelled across the circular table. "Now you're gonna get cooties," he told Sheldon.

"You really think I have cooties, Daniel?" Amy asked with mock sincerity.

The boy shrugged his shoulders and took a bite of his slippery 'hamburger'. "All girls do," he said with his mouth full.

"That's not true!" one of the girls yelled at Daniel, but he just stuck his tongue out at her.

Sheldon interceded. "She's right, Daniel. _Most_ girls have cooties, but Amy is one of the few who does not."

Amy smiled at the exchange. After a second, she felt a small hand tap her on the arm. She looked to the left of her to see a young blonde boy looking up at her.

"What's up?" she asked when he didn't say anything.

The boy cupped his hands around Amy's ear and whispered, "Is that why you two were kissing last night?"

Amy blushed deep red as he leaned away from her. So this was their snickering culprit.

She brought her hands to his ear and whispered back, "Don't tell anyone."

Amy smiled when he winked at her and returned back to his meal.

Sheldon was having an okay time. It wasn't good, but it wasn't as terrible as he suspected. Well, that was only because he had Amy with him 98% of the time. Some other counselors-in-training had tried to befriend him at breakfast that morning, but he wasn't interested. One acquaintance was all he required, and he had already found one in Amy Farrah Fowler. Sheldon counted down the seconds until the campers' rest period so he could write to his mother about her. He had already written the letter in his head, now all that was left to do was transfer it to paper.

 _Dear mother,_

 _I am still very bitter about you sending me here. But I want you to know that I've met a kindred spirit. Her name is Amy Farrah Fowler and she's brilliant, mother. She's from Orange County, California, but I tell you truthfully that she is no heathen. She's 16 years old and attending Harvard in the fall. Perhaps you could meet her when you come to pick me up (and you are welcome to pick me up at any time, by the way). I am eating three meals a day. The kitchen staff goes out of their way to make each course as unappetizing as possible, however. Please bring something pleasant for me to consume when you return._

Sheldon's writing was interrupted by Amy's voice. "Whatcha doin?" she asked, taking the seat next to him on the filthy community futon. It was a ratty old thing, situated in the middle of a half-circle of trees by a manmade lake. Nothing about it was charming or quaint as Glenn had assured him it would be.

"I made a promise to my mother that I would write her once a week," he replied, absentmindedly twirling the number two pencil in his hand.

"Oh," said Amy, pulling her legs up underneath her. "What do you have to say to her after only one day?"

"Would you like to read it?"

Amy smiled and took the composition notebook from his lap before he could change his mind. Sheldon watched her eyes dart rapidly back-and-forth across the page. He knew when she got to the part about her. Her eyes moved much slower as she absorbed his description. Her goofy smile returned as she read the last few lines and handed the notebook back to him.

"You're very sweet," she said, scooting closer to him.

"I have about four grams of sugar in my blood, just like any other healthy person," he responded with a confused expression.

"I meant that your description of me was kind," she clarified with a small laugh.

Sheldon grinned and turned his attention back to the letter.

"Actually, can I borrow a piece of paper?" Amy asked after a moment.

"Um… sure," Sheldon answered unsurely, carefully tearing out a page from the perforated line.

"Thank you," Amy said. She took the page from his hand and pulled a pencil from the pocket of her skirt.

Sheldon watched her curiously as she began to write.

 _Dear mother,_

 _I'm doing well at camp. I know you're not expecting to hear from me, but I can't resist telling you about a boy I've met. His name is Dr. Sheldon Cooper, PhD, and he's sixteen years old. He's the most intelligent person I've ever met, and I get the feeling he's the most intelligent person I ever will meet. At first, he was a little cold and distant, but I think he's warming up to me. Rest assured, you'd like him a lot. I'll see you in about a month. Try not to forget about me._

 _Sincerely, Amy_

"I have a hard time believing that anyone could ever forget you," Sheldon said as he read over her shoulder.

Amy crooked her head only to find his face a couple inches away from hers. Her breath caught in her throat as his clear blue eyes bored into hers.

"Are we gonna kiss?" she asked when she caught his eyes dart towards her lips.

"Are you going to ask me that every time I'm about to kiss you?" he asked with a smile.

She sighed and put her hand on his arm. "I think we should wait until everyone's asleep," she said mournfully.

"You're right," he agreed, looking down at his paper once again.

Amy smirked and reached for his chin, turning his face back towards her. She pressed her lips to his briefly.

Sheldon didn't even have time to close his eyes before she pulled away. "What was that for?" he asked, tightening the grip on his pencil.

"Just wanted to see if I still liked it," she replied, staring out towards the water.

"And do you?" he asked nervously.

She nodded her head, but continued to avoid his gaze.

Sheldon grew frustrated as she refused to look at him. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek like she'd done to him the night before.

That got her attention. "What was that for?" she asked, turning her head back to him.

He didn't dignify her question with a response, but rather looked down at his letter once more.

"Stop pretending you're gonna write something down," she giggled, leaning into his side.

He sighed and closed the notebook. "Well there's nothing else to do here if you're not gonna let me kiss you."

"Hmm," she grunted. She lifted up his arm and looked at the watch on his wrist. "What time do we have to go back?"

"5:40," he said, enjoying the feeling of her warmth against the cool breeze.

"That's half an hour still. You wanna take a nap with me?" she suggested, already anticipating his answer.

"Absolutely not," he replied, living up to her expectations.

Amy laughed. "I thought you would say that. I'm still taking a nap here."

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked, starting to stand.

"No," she said, pulling him back down onto the cushion. "Stay and cuddle with me."

"Absolutely not," he repeated, trying to escape once more.

"Oh come on, Sheldon. You already put your tongue in my mouth, just put your arm around me," she pleaded with a smile.

Sheldon gasped. "First of all, that is vulgar."

She snuggled into his side and pulled his arm around her shoulders. "And second of all?"

Sheldon paused for a moment, only to come up responseless. "Nothing," he sighed.

Just as Amy was about to reach the sleep that had eluded her last night, Sheldon broke the peaceful silence. "I'm not doing this ever again."

"Shut up," she whispered, moving to rest her hand on his slim stomach.

Two minutes later, Sheldon had more to say on the matter. "Amy, this is the worst."

"Well I like it."

"Of course you do. You're a girl. You like all sorts of hippy dippy things," he sneered.

Amy accepted the fact that she wasn't going to get any sleep and tilted her head up towards Sheldon. "What are you going to do with your PhD?" she asked, hoping he'd forget about his position.

"I'm thinking about taking a job at a university. I would like to do research," he replied.

"That's what I would like to do in the future," she said sleepily.

"Of course you do. We have everything in common."

"That's a bit of a stretch," she said with a laugh. "Do you think you'll get a job at Caltech?"

Sheldon pondered for a moment. "I've been thinking about it. But I'm still interested in seeing what other states have to offer. I'd be willing to travel."

"California's already a bit of a travel from Texas, don't you think?" she asked.

"I suppose. But I think my mother would be less inclined to follow me if I moved farther away," he said, thinking out loud. "We haven't spent a single day apart before today."

"Really? You didn't live on campus at Caltech?"

"No... My mother and siblings and I lived in an apartment complex in Pasadena. It was horribly expensive. I think my mother cried at least once a week," he reminisced, absentmindedly rubbing Amy's back. "I always told her to just go home, and that I would be fine on my own, but… She never did."

Neither of them talked for a moment, enjoying the quiet.

Sheldon thought that Amy had fallen asleep, but she was the one who broke the silence. "How many siblings do you have?"

"Two," Sheldon answered. "I have an older brother named George and a twin sister named Missy."

Amy rested her head on his shoulder. "You're lucky."

He seemed more upset by her words than her actions. "Amy, how in the world does having siblings make me _lucky_ , of all things?"

"Because you have people your age who always have to be your friend or else they got grounded!" she defended. "The last friend I had turned out to not be a friend at all. It was all just part of some conspiracy to get Rogaine into my hand lotion," she said, immediately wishing she hadn't brought it up.

Sheldon took her hand in his and brought it close to his face. "You've recovered nicely."

Amy smirked. "Thank you."

"You know, I find the concept of friendship to be vastly overrated. One doesn't need friends. Blind adoration, yes, but friendship, no," said Sheldon.

"Then what are we?" Amy asked.

"Acquaintances," he answered quickly.

"Do you cuddle with all of your acquaintances?" she retorted.

" _I_ am not cuddling anybody. _You_ are cuddling," he clarified.

She could have sworn he pulled her closer.

"You know, Sheldon, there are several scientifically proven advantages to cuddling. It releases oxytocin, which makes people happy," she said, feeling a certain deja vu.

Sheldon sighed. "This is _not_ going to be the kissing thing all over again, Amy. I've got you beat this time. The effects of oxytocin depend on the individual. Therefore, this may make you feel extremely happy while I may not feel happy in the slightest."

"All right, fine," Amy conceded. "But you haven't won yet. Cuddling decreases cortisol levels just like kissing does. It makes us less anxious _and_ it strengthens the immune system in doing so."

"I'm not going to battle over this, Amy," Sheldon said, resting his head on hers.

"Because you secretly like it and don't want me to call off our meeting tonight," she teased.

Sheldon snorted. "Oh please, you want that meeting just as much as I do."

"Yeah…" she whispered. "We have to be more careful this time, though."

"I know. How do you suggest doing that?" he asked.

Amy became deep in thought. "You wanna meet up here instead?" she suggested as she played with Sheldon's fingers.

He laced his fingers in hers and squeezed her palm. "Yes."

Sheldon went back to trying to write his letter as Amy slowly drifted off.

 _I really think you'd like Amy Farrah Fowler. She's everything I've been looking for in a friend. She likes to hug a little bit more than I do, but I'd put up with it for her. I can't wait for you to meet her._

 _Love, Sheldon_

He ripped the page out of his notebook and shoved it into his pocket. He pressed his lips to the top of Amy's head and he was surprised to feel her squeeze his hand in response.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

She groaned and nuzzled her face into his neck. "No."

Sheldon chuckled and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, let's go."

"I'm sorry I made you cuddle with me. It won't happen again," Amy said, releasing his hand from hers.

He almost took her hand back before he found the common sense to stop himself. "I, um…"

Amy tilted her head to the side as she waited for his response.

Sheldon reached into his back pocket for the letter and handed it to her. He turned on his heel and headed towards the cabin without waiting for her.

"Sheldon, I already read this!" she called as she raced to catch up to him.

"There's more," he said without turning his head.

Thirty seconds later, Amy had finally gotten back to his side. "So I've been elevated to friend status?"

"Yes," Sheldon replied, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "If you're willing to consent."

"Consent to being your friend?" Amy questioned with an incredulous smile.

"Well, yes," he said, finally turning his eyes to meet hers. "I'm sorry if that's too straightforward, but I've never done this before."

"Done what before?" asked Amy.

"Friendship."

Amy smiled up at him. "Me neither."

"Good," he replied with an identical smile.

The walk back to the cabins was comfortably silent. Amy was elated to have finally found a friend, and Sheldon was glad that she had accepted his offer. He would have to draw up a friendship agreement tonight after their meeting.

* * *

At 9:30, Sheldon found himself by that dreadful futon once again.

"Amy?" he called out.

After not receiving a response, Sheldon concluded that he had arrived first. He brushed off the filthy piece of furniture with his sleeve, gently sat down, and waited for Amy. After five minutes, his mind started to wander off to the friendship agreement he had yet to draft. What exactly would be included in such a document? What did friends do?

"Boo!"

Sheldon jumped when he heard the scream along with a pair of hands on his shoulders. He turned around to see the same Amy he'd spent the entire day with, goofy smile and all.

"You nearly gave me a panic attack!" Sheldon whisper-shouted.

Amy rounded the futon and sat down next to him. "I know a way to decrease your cortisol levels, then."

Just as their lips were about to meet, Sheldon put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back.

Amy looked at him, confused. "What's the matter?"

"Amy, what do friends do?" Sheldon asked nervously.

"What do you mean?" she returned, crinkling her nose.

Sheldon removed his hands from her shoulders and stood up. He began to pace around in the dirt as he racked his brain for what he wanted to say. "Our friendship agreement. What would go on it?" he asked.

Amy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What do _you_ think friends do, Sheldon?"

"I asked you first," he said, pulling nervously at his shirt.

Amy stood up and ran her hand up and down Sheldon's arm. "If the friendship thing is too stressful for you, we can stick to being acquaintances."

"No!" Sheldon replied quickly. "I want to be your friend, Amy, I just need you to tell me what friends do!"

Amy smiled. "I've had just as many friends as you've had, Sheldon. We can make it up as we go along."

Sheldon cringed at the thought of not having anything set in stone.

Amy noticed the look of disgust on his face and giggled. "Or we can draft it together after we decrease those cortisol levels."

"I suppose that'd be alright," said Sheldon as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Amy put her hands on his shoulders and pressed her lips against his. No matter what she did, Sheldon just kept his lips in a straight line and his limbs as solid as a marble statue. Amy opened her eyes to find his already open. She pulled away from his embrace and sighed.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Amy walked back to the futon and plopped down where she was moments before. Sheldon waited for her to invite him to sit down before stealing the seat next to her.

"Friendship agreement first?" she asked, placing her hands in her lap.

" _Thank_ you," Sheldon said with a breath of relief.

Amy smiled upon seeing him visibly brighter. "Did you bring a pen and paper?"

"I have an eidetic memory. I'll write it later and bring it for you to sign at breakfast," he said excitedly, scooting closer to her.

"Okay," Amy said, pulling her legs up underneath her. "How about I say one thing that I would like on the agreement and then you say something?"

Sheldon nodded his head.

Amy thought about what she'd always wanted in a friend. She didn't expect to find one in a theoretical physicist from Texas, but it didn't matter. "I think we should be kind to one another."

"Well, that seems basic," Sheldon said.

"I don't want it to be complex," Amy responded.

"That's a fair request. Okay then, I want us to eat meals together," he added.

"Sounds good to me. I want us to compliment each other's work," she said.

"What if your work isn't good?" he asked sincerely.

"Then you offer constructive criticism in a way that isn't rude or demeaning," she said, feeling like a kindergarten teacher.

"I can do that," he agreed. "I think we should stand up for each other when bullied."

Amy smiled. "I'd appreciate that a great deal. I'm out of terms."

"I have one more," Sheldon said. "We tell each other when we're being made to feel uncomfortable, and the person who is making the other person uncomfortable needs to cease his or her actions immediately."

Amy knew he was talking about the cuddling. "Okay then, I have one more term to add, as well. We be _honest_ about what's making us uncomfortable, and not just claim that it's uncomfortable because we've never done anything like it before."

Sheldon nodded. "I promise to be honest if you promise."

"I promise," Amy said.

"Good. Then this friendship summit is adjourned," Sheldon said and dove in for a kiss.

Amy laughed at his eagerness and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was much more relaxed than their previous kiss, and it made Amy a whole lot braver. She moved her lips so they were over his bottom lip and gently nibbled on the sensitive flesh.

Sheldon groaned. "I'm uncomfortable with the teeth," he said.

Amy stopped the nibbling right away and ran her tongue over the area she had bitten. Sheldon sighed and let his tongue meet hers for a brief moment. Amy unwrapped her arms from his neck and grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt. Sheldon placed his hands on either side of her and leaned down until she was on her back and he was hovering over her.

"Are you comfortable with this?" he asked without letting his lips leave hers.

"Mmhm," she murmured, sending vibrations through the kiss.

Sheldon's hands eventually found their way to her hips and his torso fell completely on top of Amy's. He moved his lips to her neck, kissing down her throat before burying his face in the crook above her shoulder.

"Do all friends do this?" he mumbled into her neck.

"No," Amy replied, running her hand through his hair.

Sheldon was quiet for a minute before the realization dawned upon him. "This is a boyfriend/girlfriend activity, isn't it?" he asked fearfully.

"I don't think it has to be," Amy whispered. "Did you want it to be?"

" We just met _yesterday_ , Amy," he chastised.

"And we part ways in less than a month," she rebutted quickly. "It make sense to speed through a relationship if we have a shortened period of time."

"I'm uncomfortable with this conversation," he said, but made no attempt to sit up or even remove his face from her neck.

"We don't have to have it, then," Amy said simply.

Sheldon sighed. "Yes, we do."

Amy became deep in thought before replying. "Proposal: We can do boyfriend/girlfriend things while still maintaining the status of friends."

"How does that work?" Sheldon asked, absentmindedly playing with the hem of her shirt.

"It's simple," Amy said. "We kiss and cuddle and spend our days together… and then we part ways after twenty-nine days," she said mournfully.

"I really like you, Amy Farrah Fowler. Maybe as more than a friend and maybe not, but I like you a lot," Sheldon whispered. "I've never met anyone so much like me."

"I like you, too," she said, hugging him closer. "Did you want to go back to the cabins now?"

"Just a little while longer," Sheldon said, turning them over so they were both on their sides.

Amy ran her hand over his back and felt her eyelids get heavy. "Don't let us fall asleep out here," she warned.

"I won't. The alarm on my watch is set to go off at ten," he said.

Amy groaned. "Can't you change it to 10:30?"

"10:10," he offered.

"10:20," she countered.

"Deal," he said, pressing some buttons on the watch he'd just purchased.

He quit nuzzling her neck to place a quick kiss on her lips.

She smiled and kissed him in return before burying her head in his chest. "So how's the oxytocin affecting you?" she teased.

"Just like any other human being, I guess," he admitted.

"The great Dr. Sheldon Cooper, reduced to feeling typical human emotion," she commented.

"You bring out the human in me," he said, twirling a strand of her hair in his fingers.

"That's what friends are for."


End file.
